1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to audio and video systems and, in particular, to automated configuration and management of a live sound system based on venue configuration and audio coverage, or in the alternative, based on determined loudspeaker array requirements.
2. Related Art
Live sound mixing is the art of combining and processing a number of audio signals together to create a “mix” that the audience or performers at a live show hear. There can be a variety of different mixes required, depending on the performance requirements. Three types of mixing include front of house (FOH), which is primarily for the audience; monitor, which is exclusively for the performer(s); and recording or broadcast (cue) for special purposes.
Whenever sound reinforcement is needed for a live performance of either music, theater, spoken word, or sporting events, a specialized sound system is required. The primary goal is to cover the audience area and stage with a sufficiently amplified signal, well-balanced at all frequencies. The stage or monitor mix is necessary to enable performers to hear themselves and any other parts of the performance as needed. Also, the proper monitor mix can minimize time delays on large stages to help synchronize the performance. In addition, the stage mix can overcome the level of the house sound which can be confusing to listen to on the stage from the perspective of the performers.
The source of sounds for a live mix can be electronic musical instruments, acoustic instruments, playback of pre-recorded sounds and music, voices, other sounds, ambience, and/or sound effects. This part of the sound system generally includes a number of microphones on the stage, to pick up acoustic sounds, and/or a wide variety of other electronic signals.
If the mixing is to occur at a distance from the stage, it is customary for the individual signals to be balanced, low impedance to achieve noise immunity and retain their frequency spectrum. Widely differing levels can be accommodated in modern sound reinforcement systems. An additional requirement is to run the signals with standardized connectors and wiring.
A mixing board, a number of speakers (passive, active, and/or self-powered), power amplifiers, a number of audio processing devices, and the cabling, rigging, and power system to connect all of these components is usually what makes up a complete sound reinforcement system. Having the sound mixed or manipulated in real time is required as things are happening live and need constant minor adjustment. Musical or dramatic productions can have many dozens of individual sources and dozens of sub-mixes out to dozens of speaker systems to deliver the proper mix to each of the performers and the audience.
A live sound engineer can mix the sound from the audience position, from a specialized control room, from the stage, or a remote truck, depending on the performance requirements. A trend in large scale theatrical productions is to minimize or eliminate the amount of sound equipment in the audience area so as to retain more seats for the audience. Elaborate digital control systems can be utilized for this purpose. For larger and more complex sound systems, more engineers and technicians can be required. The two primary live sound engineers are the front of house (FOH) engineer and the monitor engineer. The FOH engineer mixes the sound that the audience hears in the house and the monitor engineer mixes the sound that the performers hear on stage. A live sound engineer refers to a person that is experienced in the set up and operation of a sound reinforcement system.
The role of the monitor engineer is most essential at music events, as opposed to spoken word events. In most cases, each performer on stage has their own individual mix that is custom tailored by the monitor engineer to suit their audio needs. The monitor engineer is then faced with the challenge of pleasing anywhere from four to ten or more musicians with a good mix. Though monitor speakers are still in use today, the newest monitor system is what is known as an in-ear monitor (IEM) system. In-ear monitors look somewhat like hearing aids, and they are basically a pair of headphones that are custom molded for the ears of the musicians and therefore greatly reduce the outside noise that musicians hear. This isolation protects the ear of the musicians from being damaged from the long durations of high volumes to which they are subjected on a large stage. It also allows them to hear their individual mix with more clarity. At the largest and highest budgeted of concert events, each musician is hearing their own individual in-ear mix. This involves much more than simply mixing the sound, but requires a great deal of additional audio processing to increase the quality of the mix for each performer.
The FOH engineer controls the mix for the audience, and most often operates from the middle of the audience or at the last few rows of the audience from an equipment area known as the front of house (FOH) position. A FOH engineer will often use a variety of processors and effects to provide a particular style to the mix. As with the monitor engineer, FOH engineers are constantly listening to the overall blend in order to make decisions about adjusting the volume and frequency of each instrument or voice on stage. The FOH engineer often makes decisions about which effects devices to use and adjusts their relative levels and blends to meet his or her interpretation of the musical requirements of the song.
The other duty that the live sound engineer serves is the setup and the tear down (removal or striking) of these sound reinforcement systems. For large tours and events, this is often a long (sometimes multiple day) and strenuous process. Before arriving at the venue, a designer will need to design the system components, including loudspeaker arrays, and where these components are to be placed in order to get the desired sound coverage and quality for the specific venue. Upon arrival at the venue, setup involves unloading the equipment, moving it all into the venue, setting up the systems, which includes connecting all the components, and then sound-checking. For larger events the engineer will be assisted by a system engineer and a number of audio technicians some of whom may be responsible for maintaining the system during the show while the FOH and monitor engineers focus on the sound of the show.
While this disclosure is focused on live sound, some aspects of the live sound system may include video as well as audio. The term “audio/video” (AV) as used herein refers to just audio, just video, or a combination of audio and video. Audio/video software tools are typically device-centric and are located within a particular device. Audio/video software tools provide a system designer such as a live sound engineer with access to an extensive array of properties with which to individually and independently configure a particular device. Any number of devices may be implemented as part of a live sound system. Within the live sound system, in order to alter the configuration of the system, or parts of the system, an operator may need to access a large number of devices or successively examine a large number of devices in order to locate just those devices that are to be reconfigured to accomplish a particular task. Therefore, the live sound engineer may spend a considerable amount of time independently configuring each of the devices in the live sound system when initially setting up the system or modifying the system.
Accordingly, in addition to interconnecting the AV components, the live sound engineer will often need to set up an AV network to provide means to control and monitor the sound system during the live performance, a sound system that usually includes arrays of loudspeakers. To do so, the live sound engineer models the audio coverage for the specific venue by interpreting and manually transferring modeling data—acquired from acoustical modeling software—into appropriate devices to achieve the audio coverage. Furthermore, the engineer typically manually creates customized interfaces for monitoring and control of networked devices during the show which would allow grouping and simultaneous control of loudspeaker arrays and loudspeakers connected in parallel within the loudspeaker arrays (circuits). These manual configuration steps are to achieve sufficient audio coverage in the sound system and to provide for monitoring and control during the show but are quite time consuming and require a high level of expertise. Due to the devices in a live sound system being distributed throughout a live sound venue, an operator may also have difficulty locating and reconfiguring the particular devices to accomplish a particular task. The difficulty of configuring, setting up, and troubleshooting a live sound system is compounded by the fact that each time the system is set up in a different venue, the live sound engineer must re-model and reconfigure arrays of speakers, processors, amplifiers, and the like to meet the sound coverage needed for the new venue, and recreate any monitoring and control interfaces.